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Election 2016

America changed drastically last night. In a little over two months, Donald Trump will be president. His party will control congress. He gets to make a crucial Supreme Court appointment. This will be Trump’s America. Whether this frightens you or not, it is your job as a parent to keep things in perspective.

If you wanted Trump to win, you’re probably just fine. If so, please try to talk about it in an informative and constructive way. Trump is not just your president – he is our president, whether we are happy about it or not. And America needs people to understand and respect each other, now and always.

If you didn’t want a Trump victory, you might be very afraid right now. It’s easy to tell a kid there’s nothing in the closet. It’s much harder when what you’re afraid of is not only real, but running the country. How do you handle that, let alone discuss it with a child?

The US is nearing the end of a scary, scary election cycle. Even worse, it’s laid the groundwork for future campaigns that focus even more on negativity and fearmongering. The election is a bogeyman that won’t go away. But if you’re a parent, then it’s your duty to show kids how to deal with bogeymen.

The things you say about the political process are likely to influence your kids’ understanding of the system. An overly jaded view sends the message that their voice doesn’t matter – and even if you think that might be true, we might as well raise kids who at least try to make a difference.

Here’s a quick guide of language you can avoid during the election cycle. Try cutting this stuff out, and you’ll be surprised at how much less scary the world becomes. Even if it doesn’t make a major difference to you, you can at least spare your kids from political bogeymen for a couple more years.